How to create the perfect wallpaper for iOS 7’s 3D parallax effect

Apple’s new iOS 7 software is a lot to absorb, even for longtime iPhone and iPad users. The update doesn’t offer much innovation to speak of, but that might be considered a good thing in light of the massive visual overhaul it introduces. Beyond the new graphics themselves, Apple introduced other visual changes in iOS 7 such as reimagined transition animations and a new parallax effect that gives the home and lock screens a 3-dimensional look and feel. The new effect requires slightly bigger wallpapers though, and it also works better with some kinds of images than it does with others. Luckily, there’s guide out there for users who want to learn how to create the perfect wallpapers for Apple’s new 3D parallax effect.

CNET’s Jason Cipriani put together a very handy how-to guide that not only explains what dimensions your new parallax-friendly iOS 7 wallpapers should be for each different device, but also outlines some best practices when selecting an image to be used as your wallpaper. The guide suggests that users select images with visual depth that are at least 400 pixels wider and 400 pixels taller than your device’s display. This will provide room for motion without having to zoom in on the image, thus reducing its quality.

So, for example, iPhone 5s, 5c and 5 wallpapers should be at least 1,040 pixels wide by 1,536 pixels tall. Wallpapers that play nicely with the full-size iPad’s Retina display should be at least 1,936 pixels wide by 2,448 pixels tall.

The full guide can be found on CNET’s site, which is linked below in our source section.